Circuit controlling and impulse sending device



Feb. 24, 1942. E. o. THOMPSON 2,274,567

CIRCUIT CONTROLLING AND IMPULSE SENDING DEVICE Filed July 20, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l E' o THOMPSON CIRCUIT coNTRoLLING AND IMPULSE sENDING'fDEvIcE Filed July 20, 1938 in Wigw- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W.) 4 @it www 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 24, 1942.l E. Q. THOMPSON CIRCUIT CONTROLLING AND IMPULSE SENDING'DEVICE Filed July 20, 1938 Patented Feb. 24, 194?.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT CONTRCLLING AND IMPULsE sENDTNG DEVICE Elmer 0. Thompson, Grasmere, N. Y., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Philco Radio and Television Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application July 2.0, 1938, Serial No. 220,367

7 Claims.

This invention relates to electrical circuit controlling and impulse-sending mechanisms and, more particularly, to a novel device of this character by means of which an impulse-generating device may be conditioned for proper operation before voltage impulses are applied to it, and the duration of a generated impulse may be controlled at the will of the operator. Thev invention relates further to a novel control ysignalgenerating apparatus comprising a signal generator and a manually-operable impulse-sending l, device adapted to control the operationv of the generator.

The invention is capable of general application but it is particularly applicable to a remote control system of the type disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Milton L. Thompcontrol signal-generating apparatus provided by the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear face view of the impulse-sending device;

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of this device in inverted position;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View taken axially of the central shaft;

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing more clearly the cooperative operation of certain partsl of the impulse-sending device;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the time-delay or retarding mechanism;

Figs. '7 and 8 are perspective views of certain elements of the device;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view illustrating more clearly the operation of one of the switches;

son, Serial No. 220,356, led July 20, 1938, where- Fig. l0 is a perspective view of a portion of the in the control signals from the generator are mechanism illustrating one of' theV principal utilized to Control the operation of a'radio re- 2o features of the invention and showing the entire ceiver.

One object of the present invention is to provide an impulse-sending device or mechanism embodying novel means for delaying the sending of impulses for a time interval suicient to pera mit theimpulse-generating device to properly condition itself for operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an impulse-sending device which is adapted to initiate the conditioning of the impulse-generating device and which embodies novel means for permitting the generating device to become propyerlyl conditioned for operation prior to the sending of impulses.

A further object oi the invention is to provide a novel control signal-generating apparatus of` the character above mentioned, wherein the impulse-sending device is adapted to initiate conditioning of the generating device and embodies novel means for delaying the application of impulses to the generating device so as to permit the latter to become properly conditioned for operation prior to the generation of control signal impulses under the control action of the impulse-sending device.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an impulse-sending device embodying novel manually-controllable means for varying the time duration of an impulse at thev will of the operator.

`Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent hereinafter.

` In the accompanying drawings: l

Fig. l is a diagrammatic illustration of `the t stitute a simple oscillator including the tuned circuit 4. The battery 5 supplies the voltages for the filament and plate circuits of the tube, and it will be notedthat the filament circuit is con trolled by the switch contacts A of the impulsesending device l, While the plate circuit' of the oscillator tube is controlled by the switch Contacts B of the impulse sender. Briefly, the impulse sender functions to operate the contacts B intermittently, to thus intermittently close the plate circuit of the oscillator and cause the latter to generate successive signal impulses. In other words, the impulse sender 2 controls the application of voltage impulses from battery 5 to the plate of tube 3, and in effect, the impulse sender sends control impulses to the generator 2 to effect intermittent operation thereof. The impulse-controlling contacts B are maintained open, however, to prevent operation of the oscillator until after the lament circuit contacts A have been closed for a time suiiicient to enable the lament to reach its proper electron-emission temperature. This function is effected by `a v lil is rotated to effect the novel time-delay mechanism embodied in the mpulse sender as described hereinafter. In this manner, it is assured that the generator will generate signal impulses properly when the operation of contacts B is commenced. This feature enables the generator to be maintained in inoperative condition when the apparatus is not being used, and the provision of contacts A and their operating means eliminates the necessity of providing a separate switch for energizing the electron emission element of the `oscillator tube. further accordance with the invention, the duration of certain signal impulses generated by the oscillator may be controlled manually by a novel mechanism which enables the operator to maintain the contacts B in closed position, as described hereinafter.

As stated above, the apparatus provided by this invention may be employed in the radio control system of the above-mentioned copending application which utilizes certainl control signal impulses of relatively long controllable duration to control the volume level of a radio receiver, while at the same time employing different lnumbers of short impulses to effect selective tuning of the radio receiver.

Referring now to the other figures, and particularly Figs. 2 to 4, the impulse-sending mechanism is generally similar to the impulse 'sender employed in telephone systems, comprising a rotatable linger-operated dial which functions to condition the device for subsequent'intermittent closure of switch contacts to 'thus generate a number of successive electrical impulses, the number of impulses depending upon theoperation of the dial in any particular instance. Such a device is disclosed, for example, in the YUnited States Patent to Alexander E. Keith, No. 1,279,- 352, granted September 17, 1918. In the present instance, there is provided theusual 'stationary support 6 and the usual perforated dial i, which is attached to a central shaft 8 rotatably supported by the bearing 6a (see Fig. 4). A `spring 9 surrounds shaft 8 and has one end anchored to the stationary secured to the shaft, so that the spring normally maintains the shaft and dial in normal rest position and resists rotation thereof. As in the conventional impulse sender, when the Adial is rotated, energy is stored in the spring 9 and, when Y Ythe dial is released, this energy'is expended to reto their normal rest rpo- During this return rn'ovement,the shaft intermittent operation of the impulse-sending contacts B, 'as described hereinafter. A gear 8a is rotatably mounted 'on bearing 6a (see Fig. 4) and meshes with a pinion on shaft it, as shown in Fig. 10. The gear 3a has ratchet teeth 8b which "cooperate with a pawl 'la carried by the dial to Aeffect rotation of gear 8a only during return movement of shaft 8 and the dial. The gear wheel 'Illa 'which -is mounted on shaft Ii! operates a worm 'H "to drive a speed governor l2, the function` of which is to maintain the movement of the 'shaft I at a uniform slow rate so that the impulses will be uniformly timed. The mechanism `described thus far is largely conventional rand isigenerally similar 'to that disclosed inthe Keith patent above mentioned.

The contacts A provided'on tl'iepresenti device are carried by spring fingers |3and M which are turn the shaft and dial sitions.

secured to a bracket Iii mounted onthe `support t. The spring fingers are insulated from one another and from thev bracket Aby meansof suitsupport at 9a and its `other end l 1 I5 and are able insulating disks designated generally by numeral I 8, and there are provided screw terminals I7 and I8 for the respective contact 1ingers. The linger 3 has an aperture therein to accommodate an insulating pin I9 carried by the other contact finger I4. In the absence of pressure upon the pin I9, the resilience of the contact fingers maintains the contacts A in engagement with one another but when pressure is eX- erted upon the pin IS, the contacts are opened, as will be apparent.

The contacts B are 2|] and 2| carried by spring fingers which are also mounted upon bracket insulated from one another and from the bracket by means of insulating disks designated generally by numeral 22. There are also provided screw terminals 23 and 2&3 for the respective contact lingers 20 and 2|. The contact finger 2| is extended beyond the contacts B and its end is bent to form a cam follower 25, the purpose of which will appear presently. In the absence of pressure upon the cam follower 25, the resilience of the contact fingers 20 and 2| maintains the contacts B in engagement with one another.

An arm or 4lever 26 is pivoted at 'one end about screw v-27 on a post 2li extending from support 8. The other end of this arm is pivotally connected at -29 to the movable part 3G of a dash-pot mechanism. In the specific device shown, the part 30 comprises a cylinder, as shown more clearly in Fig, 6, slidably arranged on another cylinder 32 in telescopic fashion, the latter cylinder being held vby a transverse pin 33 on amounting post T34 which, in turn, is secured to a bracket 35 attached to the support 6. The ends of the cylinders 36 and 32 nearest the pivot 29 are closed to form an air chamber 3S (see Fig. 6). The cylinder 30 has a small opening 3l adjacent its end, which opening is closed by a small cap or cover 38 normally held against the opening by the spring arm 39 on which it is mounted. It will be seen, therefore, that when the cylinder 30 is moved downward, as viewed in Figs. v2 and 6 the air within the diminished space 35 will be forced out through vthe valve y3l, 38 and when the cylinder 30 issubsequentlymoved in the opposite direction, the Alow-air vpressure within the space 36 will retard themovement of the cylinder 30 until the .partial vacuum within space 36 has been destroyed bythe ingress of air between the cylinder walls.

As clearly shown in Fig. 2, a spring 'dll has one end attached to the arm or lever 276, while the other end of .this spring is anchored 'by a lug on 'the adjustable yoke 4| which is carried by bracket l5. This spring tends vt'o-rotate the arm '26 counter-clockwise, as viewed in `the figure, about its pivotll. Therefore, when the arm 2S 'is rotated clockwise, 'movingcylinder S downward, .as `viewed in Fig. 2, the spring-40 is placed under tension and tends to rotate the arm 26 counter-clockwise against the retarding effect of the-dash-pot mechanism above described.

On the end of shaft 8, there .is provided a collar 42a (see Figs. 4 and '7) .having opposed lugs on which there is mounted an adjustable arm i12 which is held by a screw and washer. Thearm 42 carries ya pin '43 which Vcooperates with a iinger 44 pivotally mounted on the arm -2i at 'Q5 adjacent the shoulder 46 of the arm-26. As shown more clearly in Fig. 5, a small spring 'il' has one end anchored to thearm-Zat 48 and is Wrapped about a pin i9v on the-arm'Zl and the other end of this spring engages Lthe'iinger 4.1i urging it in a clockwise direction, as viewed in the figure. The nger 44 is recessed to provide a shoulder 50 on which the pin 43 may seat and the end of linger 44 is formed to provide a projection or nose 5|.

The shaft 8 also carries a switch actuating member 52 (see Figs. 4 and 8) whose end is formed to provide a projection or lug 52a which is adapted to cam the insulating pin |9, as described hereinafter, to actuate the switch A. i

On the shaft |0, there is mounted aninsulating cam 53 which is adapted to actuate the cam follower 25 and thus actuate the switch B, as will be described presently. Adjacent the cam, there is also mounted on the shaft I a ring or collar 54 having diametrically spaced projections or lingers 55 which are adapted to cooperate with the shoulder 4,6 on cam 26 in the manner hereinafter set forth. A spring finger 56 has one end anchored to the support 6 at 51 while its other end engages the cam 53. The free end of the spring finger 56 is shaped to conform to the low portions of cam 53 so that it tends to maintain the cam in the position shown in Fig. 2. i

Considering the operation of the mechanism thus far described, normally, with the'shaft and the dial in rest position, the parts are disposed as shown in Fig. 2 with the switch contacts A and B open. Therefore, as may be seen from Fig. 1, the generator 2 is normally inoperative. Suppose now that it is desired to generate a certain' number of impulses'which will be determined yby theoperation of the dial; that is to say, each finger aperture in the dial will correspond to a certain number of impulses and, in' order to generate a desired number of impulses, the dial will be operated by inserting the finger in the corresponding finger aperture and rotating the dial until the operators viin-` ger engages a stop 63 (see Fig. 10), as in the ordinary telephone impulse sender. When the dialv is rotated, the shaft 8 is caused to rotate counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2, and the cam projection 52a,.which normally maintains the switch contacts A open, immediately releases the insulating pin I9 (see Fig. 5), permitting the contacts A to close. i Thus, the filament circuit of the oscillator tube shown in Fig. 1 will be closed immediately, causing the filament to be Aheated by the current flowing therethrough. During the initial movement of arm 42, the pin 43 remains seated on the shoulder 50 of the pivotedinger 44, since the spring 41 causes the finger 44 to follow the pin. At the same time, the pin pressing upon shoulder 50 moves arm 26 clockwise about its pivot, through the medium of finger 44, against the restraining action of spring 4U. Thus, the cylinder 30 of the dashpot mechanism is moved downward as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, expending the air from the dashpot chamber 36 andl creating the vacuum therein, as above described. When the nose of finger 44 strikes the adjacent collar 42a on shaft B, as shown by the dot-and-dash illustration in Fig. 5, the finger 44 is no longer able to follow the pin 43 and the pin rides off the shoulder 50, thus releasing the arm 26. The dash-pot mechanism, however, prevents arm 26 from being moved immediately by spring 40.

When the dial is released, the shaft I 0 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, and one of the fingers 55 abuts against of arm 26 (see Fig. 5). Therotatio of shaft I0 and cam 53 is, therefore, interrupted before a low portion of the cam has engaged the cam follower 25, and the switch contacts B are maintained open, When the vacuum effect of the dash-pot mechanism has diminished sufciently kto permit the spring 40 to rotate arm 26 clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, the shoulder 46 releases the nger 55 and permits the shaft I0 and cam 53 to rotate kunder the influence of spring 9 until the partsare returned to their normal positions shown in Fig. 2. During this return movement, the cam 53 actuates the follower to intermittently close the switch contacts B, as indicated in Fig. 9. The time delay provided by the dash-pot mechanism thus prevents operation of the generator 2 until the lament of tube 3 has been heated for a time sufficient to raise it to its emission temperature. The switch contacts B are then caused to close intermittently to cause the oscillator to generate successive signal impulses.

the shoulder 46, which has beenmoved into the path of ngers 55 by the downward movement It will be noted that t-he operationof the device may be varied by adjusting the arm 42 and also by adjusting the yoke 4| since the arm 42 serves as an operating link to actuate arm 26 during the time that pin 43 is seated on shoulder 50. The amount that arm 26 is moved about its pivot may be varied by adjusting arm 42. The adjustment of this arm also varies the time interval before the projection 5| strikes the adjacent collar 42a on shaft 8 and, therefore, varies the point in the operating cycle at which the pin 43 disengages from shoulder 50. The adjustment of yoke 4| varies the tension of spring 40 and, therefore, varies the force tending to rotate the arm against the action of the delay mechanism. Bearing in mind that the fingerr dial is rotated different angular amounts, depending upon the number of impulses which it is desired to send, the arm 42 and the yoke 4| should .be so adjusted that the pin 43 will dislengage itself from shoulder 50 when the dial is actuated by means of any one of its finger holes and the shoulder 46 of arm 26 acts as a stop tointerrupt rotation of shaft I0 in each instance.

vAs .mentioned previously, a further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of novel means for controlling the duration of certain signal impulses generated `by the generating device 2. Themechanism provided for this purpose isA shown in Figs. 10 and 11, wherein the dial impulse sender is shown in upright position in dot-and-dash perspective. Only so much of the mechanism as is necessary to illustrate and describe this further feature of the invention is shown in thesefigures. On the plate 58 of the dial there is provided a laterally turned arm 59; A detent member 60 extends through an opening in the bottom of the casing 6 so that it may rock on its shoulders 60a to move into or out of the path of thearm 59. A leaf spring 62 engages the detent member 60 and normally maintains its end 6| out of the path of arm 59. A depressible bar 64 is carried by pin 65 which, in turn, is attached to the outer extending end of detent member 60. When the bar 64 is depressed, the detent member 60 is rocked against the restraining action of spring 62 to bring the end 6| into the path of the end 59 of the rotatable plate 58. The operator usually employs the index finger of either hand to operate the dial and, when the finger strikes the finger stop 63, the bar 64 may be depressed by means of the thumb.. It is important to note. that the bar maybe depressed by.v thev thumb or a finger of either" hand so'tliatv theA device is readily useable byleft-handed persons. aswell as right-handed persons- When it is desired. to generate. impulses of uniform short. durationgthe bar; tiltl is not depressed andthe device' is .operated Yandi functions. as above described to generate the'short impulses. .When it is: desired, however, to generate a pulse of longer controllable duration, the bar 6&3 is depressed when the finger strikes the finger stop 63.as above mentioned. It will be apparent that the angular position of arm 59 will determine the point' in the operating cycle at which the rotation of shaft I8 is interrupted and will determinewhich of the successive impulses may be prolonged by depressing the bar G4. For eX- ample, the arm 59 may beso disposed angularly thatitinterrupts the rotation of shaft l when the switch contacts B have closed to send the last one of the several impulses. It will be apparent, of course, that in such case the num ber of short. impulses ahead of the prolonged impulse will be determined by the number of impulses which are sent, or, in other words, by the particular finger hole of the dial which is used. Thus, if the dial contains nine finger holes, by means of which any number of impulses rom two to ten may be sent and if the bar Eiwere depressed in each instance, dialing the lowest number of impulses would cause a single short impulse followed by the long impulse, dialing the next larger number of impulses would cause two short impulses followed by the long impulse, and so. on. In any case, as long as the bar 64 is maintained in depressed position, the last impulse of the series will continue until the bar is released, at which time the detent member 6ft releases arm 58 and allows the mechanism to move to the rest position.

While the present invention is not concerned with the use to which it may be desired to put the device, it might be mentioned that in the said copending application the Volume level of the remotely controlled radio receiver is controlled by sending either a short pulse followed by a long pulse or two short pulses followed by a long pulse. The shortpulse or pulsesv determine the direction of variation of the volume control While the long pulse determines the amount of variation. Such use is illustrative of the uses to which the present device may be applied.

While the apparatus provided by the invention is particularly adapted for use in the system of the copending application as above mentioned, it is not limited to such use and may be used in any instance where it may be employed to advantage. Moreover, although the generating device 2l of the apparatus-illustrated is also the receiver of impulses from. the impulse-sending device, itwill be understood that the impulse sender may be used.- in. combination. with any other form of impulse-receiving device whose operation is to` be controlled by the impulsesen-ding. device.

Although. a single preferred form. of the apparatus has been illustrated and described for the purpose of. disclosure, it will be understood. that various modications. may be. madewithout departing from. the scope of the. invention.

1. In an. impulse sending device', normally dis-- engaged contacts operable t'o send. successive impulses of short duration, means including an energy-storing.' element for operating said contacts, manually-operable means for storing energy in said element, to thereby effect operation of said contacts, and manual means operable at will to temporarily interrupt the operation of said contacts when they are in engagement, to thereby prolong the duration of one of the impulses.

2. In an impulse sending device, apair of normally open switch contacts for sending successive impulses of short duration, a rotatable shaft, a cam on said shaft constructed and arranged to close. and open said contacts intermittently, means including aspring for rotating said shaft, manually-operable means for storing energy in said spring, and manual means for temporarily interrupting the rotation of said shaft when said contacts are in closed position, to thereby prolong the duration of one of the impulses.

3. In a device for controllably generating electrical signal energy, means for generating signal energy, means including a pair of normally open switch contacts for controlling the operation of said generating means, a rotatable shaft, a cam on said shaft arranged to open and close said contacts to eiect intermittent operation of said generating means, to thereby eect generation of signal impulses, means including a spring for rotating said shaft when energy is stored in the spring,manually-operable means for storing energy in said spring, and manually-controllable means for stopping rotation of said shaft when said contacts are in closed position, to thereby effect generation of a signal impulse of relatively great duration.

4; In a device for. controllably generating electrical' signal energy, means for generating signal energy, means including a, pair of normally open switch contacts for controlling the operation of said generating means, a rotatable. shaft, a cam on said shaft arrangedl to open and close said contacts to effect intermittent operation of said generating means, to thereby effect generation of signal impulses, means including a spring for rotating said shaft when energy is stored in the spring, manually-operable means for storing energy in said spring, and manually-controllable means including a depressible member for stopping 'rotation of said shaft when said contacts are in closed position, to thereby effect generation of a signal impulse of relatively great duration.

5; In an impulse sending device, circuitmaking and breaking means for sending successive impulses of short duration, means includingV an energy-storing element for operating said iirst means, a finger operable dial for storing energy in said element to send different numbers of impulses, a stationary nger stop arranged cooperatively with said. dial,. and means operable at will to temporarily interrupt the operation of said' first-mentioned means when the latter is in impulse-sending. position, to thereby prolong the duration of oneof. the impulsessaid last-recited means including a depressible member arranged for convenient operation when the operators nger engages said stop.

G. In an impulse` sending device, circuit makand breaking means. for sending successive impulses of' short duration, means including an energy-storing element. for operating said-rst means, manually movable means. for storing energy` in. said element to'sendKY diiferent numbers of impulses, a projecting elementv on. said movenergy-storing element for operating said rst means, a finger operable dial for storing energy in said element to send different numbers of impulses, stop means movable Withsaid dial, and manually operable stop means movable from an inoperative position into cooperative relation with said iirst stop means to temporarily interrupt the operation of said first-mentioned means when the latter is in impulse-sending position, to thereby prolong the duration of one of the impulses.

ELMER O. THOMPSON. 

